Staff Sergeant Shaul Lahav, son of Yehudit and David, was born on July 16, 1983. He grew up on Kibbutz Shomrat, where his parents, David and Yehudit, settled after making aliyah from New York in 1972.
Shaul graduated with distinction from the Ofek Regional High School, majoring in science and physics, and excelled in sports, especially volleyball. He was drafted in November 2001 and served in the Nahal Unit.
Shaul was the commander of a checkpoint stationed at the tunnel bypass road linking Jerusalem and Gush Etzion. A few minutes before his shift ended on November 18, 203, a man approached the checkpoint with a rifle, opening fire. Shaul advanced towards him, preventing the terrorist from hitting other fighters standing at the checkpoint.
Shaul is buried in the military cemetery of Kibbutz Shomrat, and is survived by his parents, two brothers and a sister.
